A/N: dum di dum di dum... new update guys!! thanks for all the reviews! you guys are a riot and it makes my day just reading all the comments you've left me. keep 'em coming! :)

CHAPTER NINETEEN – Drained

I woke up to the soft sound of rain splattering on my windows. I lay in bed and watched the raindrops slowly trickle down a pane of glass. Outside, the sky was darkening and the sun was nowhere to be found, hidden amongst the clouds. I found it ironic that the first rainfall in the summer was timed so perfectly to fit my mood.

I was all cried out and drained of emotion. I wanted nothing but to just lie there the rest of my life, to wallow in self-pity and scoff at my stupidity at leaving myself vulnerable and believing all the lies. My heart felt like it was wrenched into pieces.

"Char? You awake?" Becca asked groggily, getting up next to me on my bed. I had called her right after the fight with Byron and the ever faithful bestfriend that she is, she came rushing over to be by my side. She let me vent out my anger, she let me scream. She cried with me and just held me when I needed to be held. I didn't know how I would've survived the night without her. "Char?"

"Yeah," I replied without moving. "I'm awake." Every word scratched my dry throat.

"How are you feeling?" she asked softly. A small tear escaped from the corner of my eye.

"I'm fine," I lied, roughly brushing it away. "Did you sleep okay?" I turned onto my back to look at her.

"You don't have to worry about me, Char," she said, giving me a small smile. "I'm going to grab us some breakfast, okay?" I suppressed a grimace, wanting to barf even at the thought of food. But I just nodded and rolled back under my covers.

--

I must've fallen asleep again because I woke up to find another visitor in my room, Vanessa, leaning on my desk and whispering something to Becca. She realized that I was awake and smiled in greeting.

"Hey sleepy head," she said quietly. She came and sat by my side, running her hand through my hair.

"So you must've heard, huh?" I asked flatly. Vanessa cleared her throat uncomfortably.

"Byron –"I flinched when I heard his name. "He - He was a mess when he came home last night. I knew something was up when he slammed the door and locked Adam and Jordan out of their room. He called in sick today. I haven't seen him all morning and he won't open the door for anyone." I closed my tired eyes and let out a deep sigh. A few moments of silence passed. This time, Becca cleared her throat.

"Here you go, hun," she said almost too enthusiastically, trying to change the subject and climbing on the other side of my bed. She was carrying a big mug of hot chocolate. "I made scrambled eggs and toast, too." I let out a groan.

"No food." I mumbled. I knew I was being difficult, but I didn't care. For once, I just wanted to be alone, much less have my jerk-of-an-ex-boyfriend's-sister be in the same room with me the morning after we broke up. Why the hell was she here anyway? To dig in the pain deeper than it already was? I felt anger rising up through me as I looked in Vanessa's consoling eyes.

...And then I realized what I was doing: directing my anger to someone who completely did not deserve it. She was there as my friend. She was there to somehow get me through this.

My lip trembled and right when I thought I had no more tears to spare, my tears came out in torrents and I started to bawl. Vanessa hugged me tightly and didn't care that I was soaking her shirt with my tears.

...I couldn't afford to push away another person in my life. Not now. Not when I had already lost someone who was everything to me.

A/N: break-ups suck, huh? right now, i kinda wish i started this story with two viewpoints, just so readers can see what Byron's going through . but nah, i'll leave it as a mystery. you can guess all you want. for me, i like it best when a writer doesn't have to spell out everything for you and just leaves you to wonder about things.... :)